Macbeth, Act V.5 - Denotative Analysis

Il
pianto di una donna

MACBETH: Cos'è questa confusione?

SEYTON: E' il pianto delle donne, mio signore (esce)

MACBETH: Ho quasi dimenticato il sapore delle paure. Una volta mi
sarei agghiacciato all'udire un pianto nella notte e i miei capelli si
sarebbero rizzati come pieni di vita dinanzi una storia così spaventosa. Ho
visto troppi orrori, l'orrore è di casa nei miei pensieri spietati, non mi può più
impaurire adesso.

Seiton ritorna

Perchè quel pianto?

SEYTON: La regina, mio signore, è morta.

MACHBETH: Sarebbe dovuta morire prima o poi, sarebbe dovuta arrivare
l'ora della morte.

Domani e domani e domani, a piccoli passi si corre verso l'ultima sillaba
del tempo ricordato (la fine della vita) 
tutto il nostro passato si è rivelato un imbroglio, la via per la morte
polverosa. Spegniti, spegniti o breve candela! La vita non è che un'ombra
vagante, un povero mimo che si affanna e mostra tutto il suo onore sul palco, e
di cui poi non si sente più parlare; è una favola raccontata da un buffone,
piena di parole ed emozioni, ma senza significato.

Denotative analysis

Macbeth initiates the
dialogue, asking Seyton about the noise he hears. His interlocutor says that it
is due to the cry of women. The statement reminds Hamlet of his idea about
fear: there was a time when he was scared by pains and cries but now horrors
don't bother him anymore.

In the second part of the dialogue Seyton announces
Macbeth that the cry was due to the death of Lady Macbeth. As a consequence
Macbeth reflects about the meaning of life and death: life is nothing but a senseless
and short trip to death: a candle whose light is weak, a walking shadow, a part
played by an actor who is not brave enough to follow his own nature and be who
he really is. Life is inscribed in time, it could end at any time and all your
purposes and goals become meaningless.

Comprehension

1) Macbeth doesn't feel
any form of discomfort or fear, because he has seen too many horrors in his
life.

2) He doesn't feel pain.
He considers death a natural process and is unable to feel.

3) Maybe she committed
suicide.

Interpretation

1) The image referring
to the theatre made an impression on me. It gives the reader a concrete idea of
the shortness of life. What is more, it reminds us to follow our nature.

2) The metaphor of the
stage means that life is as short as a scene and that when the play (that is
life) ends, the actor (the human being) is forgotten. 

3) He means that death
can come at any time: today, tomorrow or in some years.

4) E Death is
meaningless in this absurd life.